Chemical Analysis of Feed Ingredients For Small Ruminants Available in the Khulna Region of Bangladesh

Abstract: One of the greatest obstacles to small ruminant production, particularly during the dry season, is a lack of feeds and fodder. Lots of feed ingredients, fodders, grasses, and weeds are available in the Khulna region of Bangladesh, but its potential hasn't been fully realized due to a lack of knowledge about its nutritional value. Therefore, the research was carried out to determine the nutritional value of available feed ingredients for small ruminants in the Khulna region of Bangladesh. Roughage samples were gathered from various areas in the Khulna region. All of the samples were taken in triplicate from various locations. Plant and grass samples were chopped into small pieces up to 1-2 cm, weighted, and dried for 2-3 days after harvesting whole grasses. Fresh samples were held in the oven for 24 hours to dry at 105ºC to assess the dry matter. The sundried samples were crushed into fine particles with an electronic grinder and sieved with a 2 mm mesh screen before being stored in dry, well-covered containers until analysis. Thirteen concentrate feed ingredients were obtained for chemical analysis from local marketplaces of Khulna. They included coconut oil cake (Cocos nucifera), rice bran (Oryza sativa), mustard oil cake (Brassica spp.), khessari bran (Lathyrus sativus), wheat bran (Triticum vulgare), motor bran (Pisum sativum), wheat (Triticum vulgare), gram bran, red wheat (Triticum vulgare), maize (Zea mays), soybean meal (Glycine max), poultry meal and rice polish (Oryza sativa). After collecting the materials, they were ground into fine particles using an electrical grinder. After that, the samples were dried in the oven for 24 hours at a temperature of 105ºC to measure dry matter. The remaining samples were kept in dry, well-covered containers until they were analyzed. Proximate analysis of feed samples was carried out in Animal Husbandry Laboratory of Agrotechnology Discipline, Khulna University, Khulna. Chemical analyses of green grasses and concentrate feeds were performed to determine dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE), crude fiber (CF), and total ash (TA) following AOAC (2003). Triplicate determinations were performed on each chemical analysis. Data were analyzed using the SAS program (version 9.1) on a computer. The study discovered that among the grass species, Gitla (39.74) had the greatest DM content (g/100g) and Kalmi lata had the lowest (13.90). The quantity of crude protein (g/100g) in grass species ranged from 6.5 to 25.65. German lata (7.05) had the highest EE content (g/100g), followed by Kakpaya (6.72), Napier (5.74), Kalmi lata (4.75), Chanchi (3.99), Malancha (3.78), Para (3.77), Helencha (3.71), Durba (2.86), Gitla (2.62), and Arail (2.40). The CF content (g/100g) varied between 9.39 to 40.05 in Chanchi and Para. Kakpaya (17.45) had the highest ash content (g/100g), while Pakchong had the lowest (8.68). Mustard oil cake (94.77) had the greatest DM concentration (g/100g) among the concentrates, whereas red wheat had the lowest (89.85). Crude protein (CP) contents of concentrate feed ingredients (g/100g) were ranged from 5.35 in gram bran to 50.75 in soybean meal. Rice polish (21.12) had the highest EE concentration (g/100g) and motor bran had the lowest (2.50). The maximum concentration of CF (g/100g) was found in khessari bran (27.17), while the lowest concentration was found in maize (1.82). Poultry meal (19.34) had the highest ash level (g/100g) while maize had the lowest ash content (g/100g) (0.50). Therefore, it can be concluded that evaluated concentrate feeds and grasses species have good potential as livestock feed. Keywords: Fodder, concentrate feeds, chemical composition, small ruminants

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